Folding table



NOV. 4, 1930. J E REN 1,780,394

FOLDING TABLE Filed May 15. 1929 Patented Nov. 4, 1930 UNITED STATES mine .17. woman, or manna-eons,

MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO THE J. B. CLABK 60.,

OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA FOLDING TABLE Application filed May 15, 1929. Serial No. aesaos.

My r'esent invention relates to tables having fo ding legs and of the type generally designated as card tables; and generally stated, the invention has for its object the .1; provision of a table of the above type which maybe manufactured at low cost, but which will be strong, rigid and generally ellicient for, the purposes had in view.

The table top comprises a marginal rectangular frame and a cover board rigidly.

The legs are hinged to the secured thereto. corners of the frame and are. arranged to be held against swaying movements, when operative, by oblique braces extended in planes at right angles and arranged in a novel way hereinafter described. The corners of the frame are reinforced by hinge brackets of simple and novel construction which not only reinforce the frame, but afford very efiicient and highly desirable hinge or pivotal connections between the legs and frame.

The invention is illustrated in the accomanying drawings wherein like characters indicatelike parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of the table showing the legs thereof in folded positions;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective showing one corner of the table and one leg turned wooden bars 5 and rounded to operative position, the table, however, be-

ing turned upside down;

ig. 3 is a detail in horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 4 is a perspective showing one of the corner reinforcing hinge brackets; and

Fig. 5 is a detail in section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

The rectangular frame is made up of four corner blocks 6 which parts are primarily locked together by embedded corrugated joint strips 7. The combined corner reinforcing and hinge brackets are each formed from a single piece of flat metal, bent to form perforated anchoring ends 8, a two-ply flange 9, an offset angular portion 10 and an intervening U-shaped leg-receiving seat 11, the sides of which latter have aligned bolt holes 12. The ends 8 of the cornerbrackets are rigidly secured to the bars of the maginal frame preferably by rivets 8.

The upper ends of the table legs 13 are inserted in the U-shaped seats 11 and are pivotally connected thereto bynut-equipped bolts 14 passed each through one of the side bars 5 and one of the legs 13 and through the aligned cooperating perforations 12 of the respective corner bracket. The bolts 14 further serve to anchor the corner brackets to the marginal frame and to thereby reinforce the frame. Here it will be noted that the angular offset corner portions 10 clear, space the legs somewhat away from the side bars 5 to which they are parallel when folded against the table top, the purpose of which will presently appear.

In the plane in which it folds, each leg 13 is connected to the side rail 5 to which it is parallel when folded, by a toggle 15 made up of two straps, the lapped ends of which are pivotally connected at 16. and overlapping portions of which are formed with co-operating indents 17 which frictionally hold the toggle straightened out and against accidental buckling, as shown in Fig. 2. In a plane at right angle to the plane of the collapsible brace formed by the toggle 16, each leg is connected to the table top by a flexible brace 18 preferably in the form of a flat bar, One end of the bar 18 is laterally bent adjacent its rigid connection to the co-operating leg preferably by a rivet 19; and at its other end the brace bar 18 is pivotally connected at 20 to the depending car 21 of an anchor bracket 22 that is riveted or otherwise rigidly secured directly to the bottom of the table top or board23, which latter covers and is rigidly secured to the marginal frame.

Here it is important to note that there is no direct connection between the anchor bracket 22 and the adjacent side rail or bar 5. This leaves an absolutely clear space for the folding of a leg against the board 23 between bracket 22 and the adjacent side bar or rai1 5 and, moreover, the anchor bracket finds a very firm base of reaction in the top board to which it is directly secured so that when the table legs are turned into operative positions, they will be "ery firmly held against lateral movement in the one direction by the brace bars 18, and in the other direction by the toggle-acting braces 15.

By reference to Figures 1 and 2 it will be noted that the leg pivots 15 are out of alignment with the pivots 20; as a matter of fact the pivot QOis vertically above and horizontally spaced inwardly with respect to the leg pivot 14. Vith this arrangement and in view of the rigid connection at 19 it. will be appreciated that the leg 13 and the brace 18 rotate when the table is folded or unfolded about different axes. Accordingly, the brace in the completely set up position of the table is subject to a tensional pull longitudinally of the brace which is transmitted to the leg and produces a'strong bracing effect thereon. Also in the folded position of the legs as in Fig. 1, the braces 18 swinging about their pivots 20, inwardly off-set with respect to the leg pivots 14, are subject to a compressional strain rigidly holding the leg in folded position within the confines of the rails 5. These results are highly desirable in that the legs are always securely braced and the life of the table prolonged. Also it will be noted that the toggle braces 15, when folded, will occupy spaces between the legs and side bars of the table top aflorded by the offset angular portions 10 of the corner brackets which, as already noted, space the legs from the adjacent sides of the marginal frame. In actual practice, the structure of this table has been found highly satisfactory and to afford a very rigid table that may be very quickly set up or folded.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. The combination with a table top having a marginal frame, of legs pivotally connected to said frame in the corners thereof, toggle-acting braces connecting said legs to sides of said frame adjacent which the respective legs lie when folded, and flexible braces connected at their outer-ends to said legs and extending in planes at right angles to the corresponding toggle-acting braces, and independent anchor brackets directly secured to'the board of the table top and com pletely spaced from the adjacent sides of said marginal frame, and to which anchor brackets the inner ends of said flexible brackets are pivoted out of line with the projected axis of the respective leg pivots, whereby said braces are subject to a tensional strain in the set-up position of the legs to securely brace the latter.

2. The combination of table top having a marginal frame, of legs pivotally connected to said frame at the corners thereof, toggle-acting braces connecting said legs to sides of said frame adjacent which the respective legs lie when folded, and flexible braces rigidly connected at their outer ends to the legs, and independent brackets directly secured to the table top and completely spaced from the adjacent sides of the marginal frame, the inner ends of said flexible braces pivoted to said brackets, said brace pivots. being'sp'aced vertically upwardly and horizontally inwardly with respect to th 1 leg pivots.

3. The combination with a table top having a marginal frame, of legs pivotally connected to said frame at the corners thereof, toggle-acting braces connecting said legs to sides of said frame adjacent which the respective legs lie when folded, and flexible braces having off-set portions at their outer ends rigidly secured to the legs, said braces extending in planes at right angles to the corresponding toggle-braces, and independent brackets directly secured to the table top and completely spaced from the adjacent sides of the marginal frame. and to which brackets the inner ends of said flexible braces are pivoted, said brace pivots being out of line with the projected axis of the respective leg pivots, whereby said flexible braces are subject to tensional stresses in the folded or unfolded position of the legs to rigidly brace the latter.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

JOHN E. KALGREN. 

